“That was me,” Danny said quietly. “I was waiting in the car. In the parking lot. And I saw you come out with your groceries. And I saw her.”
He looked at Ellie.
“I saw Mr. Hops,” he said. “Clipped to her backpack. The crooked ear. And I knew. I knew right away. I’ve been looking at that picture for three years. The one from the accident report. I’d know that bunny anywhere.”
“So you called your mom,” I said.
“I called her and said, ‘Mom. Mom, it’s her. The little girl from the car. With the bunny. She’s right there.’” Danny swallowed. “And Mom came running out to the car. And we watched you walk home. We followed you. Real slow. In the car. I’m sorry. I know that’s creepy. We just needed to know where you lived. We’d been looking for so long.”
